This invention relates to a tent enclosure for use with pickup trucks having an open cargo bed and a tonneau cover pivotally connected to the truck, for covering the open cargo bed. More particularly, the invention relates to a tent enclosure employing a one-piece flexible covering having a main sleeve section adapted to receive the tonneau cover, two side sections, and a rear section, which are joined together to form an enclosure in the back of a pickup truck.
A variety of portable tents have been proposed for use by campers, hikers, and the like, and have become increasingly popular since they are highly effective in protecting their occupants from various weather conditions while camping overnight. However, when the ground is rocky, muddy, uneven, or covered in tall grass, it is often impracticable to erect a conventional tent in such an area since most tents are designed to rest directly on the ground surface. Thus, it is desirable to have a tent enclosure that can be utilized even when suitable ground for erecting a conventional tent is unavailable.
Accordingly, in an attempt to solve problems associated with unsuitable ground conditions, several references uncovered in the prior art describe various tent arrangements which affix directly onto the cargo bed of pickup trucks. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,390 to Borchers discloses a vehicle mountable shelter which is configurable to provide a cargo carrying area, or a lodging area for camping. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,960 to Benignu discloses a construction of cloth for attachment to a truck bed serving as a tonneau cover and protective enclosure for humans. U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,392 to Young discloses a boat which also serves as a camper shell. When combined with tent material, it provides a tent-like enclosure.
Despite all these vehicle mountable tent assemblies, there is still a further need to provide an improved tent enclosure for pickup trucks having an open cargo bed, and a rigid, flat tonneau cover pivotally connected to the side walls of the truck. Such a tent enclosure should be easy and quick to install and remove from a pickup truck, and yet be capable of protecting occupants thereof from various weather conditions. Moreover, such a tent enclosure should be capable of being firmly secured to the tonneau cover so as to enhance its ability to resist strong winds and the like without having to use separate staking devices.
While these units mentioned above may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.